Day: February 21, 2013

A veteran franchisee of The Melting Pot, a fondue restaurant chain with a location in downtown Sarasota, is dabbling in the burger bar industry and will soon open Sarasota’s first Burger 21.

The franchise will be owned by Barry Berkowitz and Brian Marshall, who are no rookies in the franchisee game. The partners are both natives to Sarasota, and plan to develop several more restaurants in the area in the coming years.

“As a Melting Pot franchisee of 22 years, I feel that Burger 21 is a natural growth extension for me and I know we’ll be successful with the extensive training and support provided by Front Burner Brands,” Berkowitz said in a statement. “I’m confident that the Sarasota community will embrace Burger 21 and the gourmet ‘beyond the better burger’ experience it offers without the gourmet price.”

Berkowitz does not own the franchise The Melting Pot location in Sarasota. He owns locations in Maryland and Virginia.

There is no confirmed site for the fast casual burger concept in Sarasota yet, but the restaurant plans to open in the coming months. Burger 21 offers 21 burger and slider creations, ranging from beef to chicken, turkey, shrimp or tuna, and also sell salads, hot dogs, and boast a milkshake bar. The chain is an affiliate of Front Burner Brands, a restaurant management company headquartered in Tampa.

Burger 21 has five open locations in Tampa and Orlando, and 12 franchised restaurants in development including several in the New York area and across the East Coast. The company’s second Florida location will open near the University of Central Florida at the end of February.

Photo courtesy of Burger 21.

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